Isay Says:My Personal Tales: An Unforgettable Vacation to the Philippines

Warning: This post has several photo collage as I would like to share with you snapshots of my beloved Philippines and our lovely vacation.

I am still on a high! My heart is bursting with gratitude!! Our 14 day holiday trip to Manila, Philippines has just concluded but I am still in a cloud nine!!

We really intended to visit my family in the Philippines this year. We initially targeted summer of 2018 but certain recent events affecting my mom´s health prompted me to reschedule our planned holiday. I am grateful that we pushed through with this Holy Week visit to Manila. THIS 2018 VISIT IS ABSOLUTELY ONE OF MY BEST VACATIONS, MY SECOND MOST UNFORGETTABLE HOLIDAY!! (side note: my top most unforgettable holiday is my Paris, France holiday in 2009, with my hubby, pre-son era jejejeje).

The 14 day holiday just flew... As they say, time flies when you are having a great time! I just spent these 14 days with my family. I am thankful for the time of some of closest friends who were able to see us and at the same time, I am grateful to some of my other friends for understanding my time limitation which hindered me from meeting up with them.

For this trip, we did not come up with anything fancy such as an out of town trip. This trip was super laid back, we played it by ear, seize the day and just went with the flow. This was a super duper family oriented, family focused trip.

1. My son had a great time playing with his cousins. He loved it a lot that my mom´s house has a terrace and a garden where he was able to play outdoor games with his cousins! We also spent some time in Kidzoona, an indoor choldren´s theme park.

2. We enjoyed good food in the comforts of our home. Thanks to Analyn, my mom´s trusted help who is like family to us for concocting delicious authentic filipino dishes! We managed some exemptions as a Philippine holiday is never complete without a stopover in our iconic JOLLIBEE and McDonalds

3. We had a staycation in One Pacific Place (OPP) in Makati City. We have been doing staycation in OPP since 2014! Prices are reasonable, staff/crew members are kind, approachable and quality service! We love OPP because of its location and its amenities!! Thanks OPP for another beautiful experience! We had a great time!

4. As it was Holy Week, we did our Via Crucis, visited several churches where we prayed. We were also welcome in the home of my brother in law in Pasay where they hosted a procession. It was nice to experience again these Holy Week rituals.

5. Thanks to my sister and her sponsor, we were able to enjoy a family lunch in Splendido, in Tagaytay City, south of Manila. It boasts of green, nature, tranquil ambiance and a stunning view of the famous Taal Volcano.

6. We spent a lot of time juggling visits to my brother´s home, Pintsik and just spending time together.

7. As part of my rituals everytime I would visit my motherland, I took the time to visit my departed love ones - my father dear, my grandparents, uncle Frank and Kuya Butch in their resting places and said my prayers to them. I also visited the National Shrine of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Baclaran and prayed and prayed.

8. On a more personal preference, I got to enjoy almost unlimited massage/spa services! Hahahahaha

We experienced improvements in the Philippine Traffic and in the airport services!! We also noticed that more commuters are using motorcycles for easier access. There are also improvements in our public transport system as the P2P (point to point) bus service was recently introduced. In spite of these changes, needless to say, the Philippines still has a long way to go.

This trip was just magical, pure love. I am so grateful for all the resources that my saviour had bestowed on me and my family, for our good health and for all the time that we spent together. I felt so much love during this trip and I am very, very happy that my son and husband had a great time as well in the Philippines. THANK YOU MAMA, ATE PAZ, KUYA RONALD, ADENG JON REY, ADENG JOYCE, ADENG RYEDEL, ADENG JR, ADENG JOY MARIE, ADENG REXIE, ANALYN, TO ALL MY PAMANGKINS for making this vacation truly special and unforgettable! Words are not enough to express my gratitude!! We feel so loved!!!

And as with every good thing, it must come to an end. I was sobbing on our way to the airport and I was literally crying when our place took off from Manila. But my heart is full and I know in God´s perfect time, I will see again my family in the Philippines.

Have a great weekend!!